Flow regulator

Abstract

A flow regulator has a pair of side walls extending generally parallel to one another, a bottom wall connecting the side walls to one another and defining an elongate channel for receiving a compressible tube, a roller rotatably and shiftably mounted to the side walls for rolling along the tube in the channel and compressing the tube against the bottom wall. The bottom wall is provided with a formation which varies from a first end of the channel towards an opposite, second end thereof, whereby compressive force applied to the tube via the roller is different at different longitudinal positions of the roller along the channel. A bracket or bow-shaped bridge is disposed about or between the side walls at one end of the channel. The bracket is in contact with outer surfaces of the side walls only in regions of the side walls spaced from the bottom wall. The bracket or bridge is advantageously made with less inherent stiffness than the assembly defining the elongate channel. In an alternative embodiment, the side walls are thicker at discrete positions along the side walls to eliminate the need for a bracket or bridge. In another alternative embodiment, the side walls extend from the bottom wall at less than ninety degree angles such that the distance between the free ends of the side walls are smaller than the distance between the side walls at the bottom wall.

1. A flow regulator comprising:
 a bottom wall;  
 a pair of side walls extending from said bottom wall at less than ninety degree angles such that the distance between free ends of said side walls are smaller than the distance between said side walls at said bottom wall, defining a longitudinal channel for receiving a compressible tube, said channel having first and second ends; and  
 a roller rotatably and shiftably mounted to said side walls for rolling along the tube in said channel and compressing the tube against said bottom wall, said bottom wall being provided with a formation which varies from a first end of said channel towards an opposite, second send thereof, whereby compressive force applied by said roller to said tube is different at different longitudinal positions of said roller along said channel.  
 
   
   
     2. The flow regulator of  claim 1  wherein the thickness of each of said side and bottom walls at at least one discrete position along said side and bottom walls is slightly greater than the thickness along the remaining side and bottom walls, respectively. 
   
   
     3. The flow regulator of  claim 1  wherein the thickness of each of said side and bottom walls adjacent said first end of said channel is slightly greater than the thickness along the remaining side and bottom walls. 
   
   
     4. The flow regulator of  claim 1  wherein the thickness of each of said side and bottom walls at said first end of said channel, at said second end of said channel and at a generally central position between said first and second ends of said channel, are slightly greater than the thickness along the remaining side and bottom walls, respectively. 
   
   
     5. The flow regulator of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one protrusion extending from at least one of said side walls into said channel, defining a gap therebetween, said gap is smaller than the diameter of said compressible tube such that upon compressing said tube to pass through said gap to rest along said channel, said tube is prevented from accidentally being dislodged from said channel. 
   
   
     6. The flow regulator of  claim 1 , further comprising a web extending between said side walls adjacent said second end of said channel. 
   
   
     7. The flow regulator of  claim 1 , further comprising a strut extending from each of said side walls adjacent said second end of said channel, defining a gap therebetween. 
   
   
     8. A flow regulator comprising:
 a bottom wall;  
 a pair of side walls extending from said bottom wall, defining a longitudinal channel for receiving a compressible tube, said channel having first and second ends;  
 a roller rotatably and shiftably mounted to said side walls for rolling along the tube in said channel and compressing the tube against said bottom wall, said bottom wall being provided with a formation which varies from a first end of said channel towards an opposite, second send thereof, whereby compressive force applied by said roller to said tube is different at different longitudinal positions of said roller along said channel; and  
 means for maintaining said roller at different longitudinal positions along said channel.  
 
   
   
     9. The flow regulator of  claim 8  wherein said maintaining means comprises said pair of side walls position at less than ninety degree angles relative to said bottom wall such that the distance between free ends of said side walls are smaller than the distance between said side walls at said bottom wall.